Card overlap and adhering machine



June 2,1953 B. E. NELSON v CARD OVERLAP AND ADX-IERING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1948 7 et 1 June 2, 1953 B} E. NELSON CARD OVERLAP AND ADHERING MACHINE -'7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTORV 5mm: 5 Ne/Jal;

Filed June 14, 1948 June 2, 1953 B. E. NELSON 2,640,695 T CARD OVERLAP AND ADHERING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1948 v 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 ENTOR. iron/5 54 0/50 BY June' 2, 1953 Filed June 14, 194a B. E. NELSVON CARD OVERLAP AND ADHERING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Shet 4 I N V EN TOR. 5/046 5. /V/50/7 B. E. NETILSON CARD OVERLAP AND ADHERING MACHINE June 2,- 1953 Filed June 14, 1948 INVENTOR; 5mm! 5 M96? June 2, 1953 B. E. NELSON CARD OVERLAP AND ADHERING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Fil ed June 14, 1948 INVENTOR. iraafr 5 A/e/im example in the accompanying drawings,

Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Jaymac Systems, Incorporated, Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 14, 1948, Serial No. 32,898

21 Claims.

This invention relates to an overlap machine for gluing together papers, cards, and the like, in overlapping relationship.

More particularly, this invention relates to a machine for gluing together in overlapping relationship, cards used for keeping business records, such as time records, payroll records and records of production and inventory.

In cards of the character described, it may be desired to glue together a set of cards at their side edges or at their top edges. Or it may be desired to glue together a set of cards at opposing side edges so as to form a series of overlapping pockets.

In an overlap machine designed to receive individual cards, to apply glue to a predetermined area on each card and to overlap the cards and apply pressure to glue them together in overlapping relationship, it is desirable that the machine operate rapidly and accurately; that it be adjustable to accommodate cards of any size within a broad range of sizes; that it be adaptable with a minimum of interchange of parts and adjustment to accommodate cards of a wide variety of sizes and shapes; and that it be adaptable with a minimum of change to the particular needs of a job and to rapid adjustment to any degree of overlapping.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved form of overlap machine of the character described.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an overlap machine of the character described, which is easily and rapidly adjustable to glue together a set of cards or the like in overlapping relationship, the cards in any one set varying from two to any desired higher number, and wherein the degree of overlapping is infinitely variable within wide limits.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a machine of the character described wherein the various unit operations, such as feeding the cards to a gluing unit, applying glue to the cards, and overlapping and applying pressure to the glued cards, are synchronized, and wherein a minimum of interchange and adjust- .ment of parts is required to accommodate the machine to: different requirements.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and the appended claims.

One form of the invention is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same as viewed from the opposite side of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the motor and certain of the power transmission elements in plan view.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1'.

.Fig. 7 is a plan view of the glue applicator element with thefeed hopper removed.

Fig. 8 is a section taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 1, showing details of a clamp element.

Fig. 9 is a detailed view, on an enlarged scale and broken away, of the ratchet clutch employed to actuate the indexing roll.

Fig. 10 is a section taken along the line I0-lll of Fig. 7, showing details of construction of the slide table.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section taken along the line |Ill of Fig. 4, showing the lever supports for certain of the rolls employed in feeding and indexing the cards.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the main framework I comprises posts 2, a bed plate 3 secured to the posts '2, and spaced upper and lower guide rails 4 and 5 secured to the upper ends of the posts 2 and extending somewhat beyond the posts at one end of the machine. Power is provided by a motor I 0 which is mounted upon slides II and Ila carried on guide rails 12, which are anchored to angle beams 13 and I311. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, a screw l4 having a knob I5 is provided for adjusting the position of the motor. The screw I4 is threaded through a nut l6 which is in threaded engagement with and firmly secured to the outer guide II, and it also passes through the outer angle beam l3 and is adjustably locked in position by shaft collars I61) and set screws [6a. It is thus apparent that the position of the motor in may be readily adjusted by sliding it along the guides l2, and that it may be locked in any desired position, such adjustment being to vary the speed of the machine as and for the purpose explained hereinafter.

Secured to the motor shaft I! is a variable pitch pulley 1-8, and trained about the pulley l8 and a fixed diameter pulley I9 is a V-belt 20.

The pulley I9 is secured to a countershaft 25 journaled in bearing stands 26 and 21, which are suitably bolted to the main framework. A pinion 29 secured to the opposite end of shaft 25 meshes with a gear 30 carried on a shaft 3| which is journaled in bearing stands 21a and 32, both of which are suitably bolted to the framework.

A feeder slide mechanism generally designated as 42 (see Fig. is acuated by means of a connecting rod 33 (see Figs. 1 and 2) connected eccentrically at 34 to the above-mentioned gear 30 and at its other end, at 35, to one arm 31a of a bell crank lever 31, which is pivotally supported upon a pivot pin 38 secured to one of a pair of spaced bearing brackets 39 secured to the main framework. The other arm 31?) of the lever 3! is provided with a roller 40, which engages and actuates a yoke 4| forming a part of the feeder slide mechanism 42.

Referring more particularly to Figs. '7 and 1D, the feeder slide mechanism 42 comprises a slide plate 43 to the underside of which the yoke 4| is secured, knife mount holders 44 secured to the bottom of and at opposite sides of the slide plate 43 and knife mounts 45 and a feeder knife 46 secured to each knife mount holder. As shown, the knife mount holders 44 are slotted longitudinally as at Ma to permit longitudinal adjustment of the knife mounts 45. Each knife mount 45 has a forwardly and downwardly sloping surface 45a, and each feeder knife 46 is secured adjustably by any suitable means (not shown) so as to project slightly above the rear edge of its mount. Also, a guide bar 4! is supported underneath the slide plate 43 and between the knife mount holders 44, being slotted longitudinally as at 43 to accommodate the yoke 41, and being supported at the rear by frame members as and forwardly by a plate 50 (see Fig. 5) secured to a transverse bar 5|, which is secured to bearing plates I22. Bronze slide bearings 52 are disposed between the guide bar 41 and slide plate 43, and as also shown, a bed plate 53 is provided, being spaced from the slide plate 43 by a spacer 54 and being supported rearwardly and forwardly by the frame members 49 and the plate 50.

The motor to is in constant operation during operation of the machine; hence, the countershaft 25 and the gears 29 and 30 are constantly rotated. It will thus be seen that, through the medium of the connecting rod 33 and bell crank lever 31, the feeder slide mechanism 42, including the feeder knives 46, will be reciprocated, for the purpose of feeding forward individual cards in timed sequence as and for the purpose described hereinafter.

A. glue applicator element, including glue cams 82, and described in detail hereinafter, is actuated by means of a gear 55 secured to the abovementioned shaft 31. The gear 55 meshes with a gear 56 secured to a shaft M, which also carries a pinion 58. The shaft 51 is held by a lever 59, which is secured at one end to the above-mentioned shaft 3| and is free to rotate thereon. The lever 53 is adjustably clamped in any desired position by means of a second lever 60 supported at 6! upon a block 62 secured to the main framework. The lever 60 is provided with a slot 69a and it is adjustably clamped to the lever 59 by means of a clamp screw 63 engaging the slot 60a.

The pinion 58 is in mesh. with a change gear 64 carried on a shaft 65, the shaft 65 being carried by a lever 65 adjustably secured at 61 to a bracket 68 bolted to the main framework. The shaft 65 also carries a pinion 69 which meshes with a second change gear 10 carried on a shaft H which is journaled in the bearing brackets 39.

The shaft H also carries a glue interrupter cam 12 having a circular cam surface 12a, and as the cam 72 rotates, the surface 12a engages a roller 13 on the free end of a lever 14. The lever 14 is clamped to a pivot shaft 15 journaled in bearing blocks 16, which are adjustably clamped to the above-mentioned guide rails 4 and 5 by means of guides ll. 'Also clamped to the pivot shaft 15 are spaced glue cam supporting levers l5. Bearings 79 formed at the other ends of levers l8 carry a glue cam shaft 8|. Any desired number of glue cams 82, shown for purposes of illustration as two in number, are adjustably clamped to the glue cam shaft 8|, as by means of set screws 83. Each glue cam is contoured according to the gluing requirements and, as illustrated in Fig. 5, is provided with a rise or high point 82a.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the cam shaft BI, and with it the glue cams 82, are rotated continuously by a chain 84 trained about sprockets 85 and 8B. The sprocket 86 is keyed to the cam shaft 3|, while the sprocket 85 is clamped to the hub of a larger sprocket 81 which is carried on the pivot shaft 15 and is free to rotate thereon. The sprocket 87 is driven, and thus serves to drive the sprockets B5 and 86, in the manner explained hereinafter.

Proper positioning of the glue cams 82 is maintained by means of stop screws 88 (see Fig. 1) and a spring 89 (see Figs. 2 and 8). Sto screws 88 are carried by brackets 99 clamped to the upper guide rails 4 by screws am. The stop screws 88 bear against the upper surfaces of the glue cam levers l8 and thus limit the upward movement of these levers and of the glue cams 82. Spring 89 is carried by a threaded pin 8911 received within a socket (not shown) in the main framework. The outer, threaded end of the pin 89a is bolted to a bracket 92 which is secured to the lever '14, and any desired compression is exerted on the spring 89 by means of nuts 92a.

It will be seen, that as the sprocket 86 on the cam shaft 8| is rotated, and as the train of gears 29, 3B, 55, 55, 58, 6'4, 59 and H3 is actuated by the motor Hi, the glue cams 82 will constantly rotate about the axis of the glue cam shaft 8| and they will also oscillate through a predetermined vertical arc. As explained in detail hereinafter, the train of gears thus employed, and the cam and lever elements cooperating therewith to translate rotary motion of the motor 10 into 0scillatory motion of the cams 82, serve to time the application of glue to the cards and to allow easy interchange of gears to conform to different timing requirements.

A supply of glue is maintained at the desired level in a glue pct 93. The glue pot 93 is carried on a support bar 94, which is secured to side plates 95 adjustably bolted to the lower guide rail 5, as shown. The glue cams 32 dip into the glue pct 93, and the amount of glue deposited on the cards by the glue cams is determined by a wiper blade 91' (see Fig. '7), which is secured to the glue pct 93 and is provided with slots 98 through which the cams rotate. As the glue cams rotate through the slots 98, excess glue is wiped therefrom by the edges of the slots.

Cards I00 are stacked in a hopper IBI and are fed from the bottom of the stack as described in detail hereinafter. The hopper lfll comprises rear guides H3, side guides H4 and front guides H5. The rear guides are secured to a plate H6 guided by flanges II1ifor sliding along the upper surfaces of guide rails 4, the thumb screws 91 serving to clamp the flanges, and thus the plate H6 and the rear guides II3, in-any desired position. The side guides II4 are secured to slide II8 which ride on a rail I I9, clamp screws I being provided to clamp the guides H4 in any desired .position. The rail I I9 is supported upon a plate I 2I extending across the machine and, in turn, secured tobearing plates I22, which are bolted to the upper and lower guide rails '3 and 4. The front guides I I5 are also secured to the plate I 2I, which also carries a throat blade I23 bolted at I23a for vertical adjustment, as shown.

It is thus apparent that the hopper IOI is adijustable to accommodate cards of any size -'or shape within the limits of the machine. Also, the adjustable throat blade I23 may be set to provide a throat I24 between its bottom edge and the bed plate 53, such as to allow passage therethrough of only one card at a time.

In operation, as thus far described, a supply -'of cards I00 is maintained in the hopper IIII and glue is maintained in the glue pot 93 at the desired level. The glue ca ms 82 constantly rotate and at properly timed intervals they are depressed by glue interrupter cam 12 and the levers 18 so as to allow a card to be-fed forwardly without application of glue, thus marking off and delineating a set of glued, overlapping cards. The bottom-most card is supported upon the sloping surfaces 45a of the knife mounts 45 and is fed forwardly by the feeder knives 46 through the throat I24 for subsequent operations.

The cards I00 are next fed to transfer rolls I26 and I21. The upper transfer roll I26 is a solid roll which extends the width of "the machine and is carried on a shaft I28 which is supported by levers I29. Each lever I29-is pivotally supported upon a pin I30 held in a pad I secured to the adjacent bearing plate I22 (see Figs. 4 and 11). Springs I35, each contained in a housing I36 secured to one of the plates I22, exert a pressure upon the levers I29 suflicient to hold the upper transfer rolls I26 firmly against the lower transfer rolls I21. The latter roll is in the form of segments I21a (see Fig. 6-) which are carried by a shaft I38 journaled in the bearing plates I22. The segments I21a are adjustably secured to the shaft I38, as by set screws I21b, to allow variable spacing in accordance with glue pattern requirements. The upper transfer roll I26 is driven by frictional engagement with the lower transfer roll I21 which, in turn, is driven by a chain I40 trained about sprockets I45, I46 and I41. As shown in (Fig. 1-, the sprocket I is carried on the lower transfer roll shaft I38, the sprocket I46 on the shaft 3I and the sprocket I41 on a shaft I48 which is journaled in bearing plates I49 bolted to the .guide rails 4 and 5.

As stated hereinabove, and referring to Fig. '2, the cam shaft 8| is driven by sprocket 85, chain 84 and sprocket 86, sprocket 85 being secured to the hub of a larger sprocket 81. The latter is driven by a chain 220 trained over the sprocket 81, a sprocket 22I secured to the lower transfer roll shaft I38 and a sprocket 222 carried by a take-up lever 223 secured at 224 to the lower guide rail 5 for angular adjustment to allow for variable spacing 'of the sprockets 81 and MI.

The cards I00 are transferred by the transfer rolls I26 and I21 to the nip of a pair of rolls comprising an indexing roll I55 and a squeeze roll I56. As shown in Fig. 4, the indexing roll 455 is a segmental troll shaving segments 1551:

carried en a shaft "I51 journaled'in bearing plates I58. The bearing plates lfifl are carried by a clamping plate 158:: which may be bolted to the lower guide rails 5 at any desired longitudinal position- The squeezeroll I56 is "also a segmented roll having segments I56a carried on a shaft I59 which is journaled in levers I60. The levers I60 are pivotally supported by pins 'I6.I engaging slots I62 formed in the'plat'es I58 (see Figs. 2, 5 and 11 springs "I6 3 contained in housings I64 secured to the plates I 58 bear against extensions 160a of levers I60 and serve to hold the squeeze *roll 'I56'firmly in contact with the indexing roll I55, the compression of the springs I63 being adjustable by means of screws I65 and nuts I65'a. The compression of the squeeze roll I 56 against the indexing roll I55 is thus adjustable, and it will also be noted that the axis of the squeeze roll IE6 is parallel to but-is disposed forwardly of the axis of the indexing roll I 55 for *a purpose explained hereinafter; also, that the degree of advancement of the squeeze roll is adjustable by means of the slotted connection I6I, I62.

Referring to Fig. 2, the indexing roll I55 is driven by the shaft I48, an adjustable throw crank I66,- a connecting rod I61 and a crank 01' clamp I68 clanlmed to a ratchet clutch I 69,-Whieh is secured to the ind ing roll shaft I51. The throw of "the crank I 66is variable by reason of a slide I15 engaging a slot I16 formed in the crank and by means of a micrometerscrew I11 which is operable to move the slide I15 in the slot I16. Rod ends I 18 and I19-serve to connect the connecting rod I61 to the cranks I66 and I 68, the rod end I19'being adjustably clamped by a screw I to vary the effective length of the connecting rod I61. 7 The crank or clamp 'I- 6'8,as shown more clearly in Fig. -9, is clamped to the outer race I'8I of the ratchet clutch I69 by means-of set screws I82, and the inner race I83 is clamped to the roll shaft I51 by means "of a 'set'screw I84; A ball I85 carried in a recess I0 6 formed in the inner race is urged outwardly by a spring "I81 received in a socket I88.

It will thus be seen that a ratchetcQnn'ection is provided between the indexing roll shaft I51 and the reciprocating rod I61, and that on reciprocation of the latter, the indexingroll shaft I51 and indexing roll I55 will be advanced by angular increments, which are uniform and are adjustable merely by turning the micrometer screw I11.

As stated, eachcard I00, as it reaches the bottom ofthe stack in hopper I'0'I, drops upon the inclined surfaces 45a of the knife mounts 45. Glue is applied to the undersu'rface of the bottom "card by the glue earns 82, whichare constantly rotated in the glue in the glue pct 93' and are lowered at properly timed intervals to allow a card to pass through unglued to mark the division between sets "of cards. Thefeeder knives'46 feed each card forwardly, through the throat I24, into the nip of transfer rolls I26 and I21. These rolls "feed each card forwardly and posi= tively into the nip of the squeeze roll I56 and indexing roll I55. As shown in Fig. 5, because of the axial offsetting of 'thesezlast-mentioned rollsfthe squeeze roll being advanced with respect to the indexing roll), each card engaged with these rolls will :be tilted downwardly. This provides clearance forthe next oncoming card, and italso prevents: the oncoming card f-ro'm scrapingglueofi.theilpreceding cardt aee aos 7 As also stated, the indexing roll I55 is advanced by angular increments by means of the crank I66, connecting rod I61 and ratchet clutch I69. Thus, by suitable adjustment of the throw of the crank I66, any desired degree of overlapping is obtainable.

As a set of overlapping cards is completed, it

I is deposited upon conveyor belts 200 trained about conveyor belt shaft 202, are formed in bars 209 (see Fig. 2), which slide between the guide rails 4 and 5 and are clamped in the desired position by clamp screws 2I0. Guides 2II (see Figs. 4 and 5) secured to the clamping plates I58a. serve to keep the belts in the desired position.

The machine thus described provides numerous advantageou features, among which the following may be mentioned.

The machine is operable to glue either or both edges of a card, and the pattern of application of glue is variable within, wide limits. Also, cards may be glued together in a continuous strip or in sets of two up to twenty-five, or even more, depending upon the train of change gears. All of the driven elements of the machine are driven off of the countershaft 25, the speed of which is variable without varying the speed of the motor I0 merely by sliding the motor inwardly or outwardly along the guide rails I2 so as to vary the pitch of the variable pitch pulley I8. The number of cards glued together in a set is controlled by the gear train 55, 56, 58, 64, 69 and 10, which pivot the glue cams 82 and are in a predetermined ratio with the gear 30, which reciprocates the feeder slide assembly 42. Of the gear train 55, 55, etc., only the two change gears 64 and 10 require replacement. Thus, a set of only two gears needs to be kept on hand. If, for example, it is desired to glue together six cards in a set, the ratio between the gear train 55, 56, etc., on the one hand, and the gear 30, on the other hand, will be six-to-one, such that the shaft 3i revolves six times for one revolution of the shaft II; i. e., such that the glue cams 82 are pivoted away from the gluing station during each sixth stroke of the feeder slide assembly. Also, in such case, the cam surface 12a of the glue interrupter cam 12 will be an arc of approximately 60, or one-sixth of a revolution of the interrupter cam shaft H, such as to hold glue cams: 82 away from the sixth card. Merely by substituting larger or smaller change gears at 64 and 10, the ratio between the shafts 3| and II is varied as desired. The pivotable levers 59 and 66 supporting the shafts 51 and 65 permit proper meshing of any desired set of change gears 64 and 10 with their mating pinions 58 and 69. In addition to substituting other change gears 64 and 10 to modify the machine for a different set of gluing requirements, a set of glue interrupter cams 12 will also be kept on hand for substitution of this element, in accordance with varying requirements.

Stop screws 88 govern the height limit of glue cams 82 and the adjustable connections 11 supporting the bearing blocks 16, which carry the glue cam pivot shaft 15, provide for longitudinal adjustment of the glue cams 82 relative to the leading and trailing edges of the cards I00, thus permitting control of overlapping. Thus, the smaller the degree of overlapping desired, the farther the glue cams must be moved forward relative to the leading edge of the card. Also, the length or degree of arc of the rise 82a on the glue cams 82 contributes to determining the length of the glue pattern.

The timing of the feeder slide assembly 42 is such that the feeder knives 46 engage the trailing edge of the bottom card I00 at the moment the glue cams 82 contact the card and move the card forwardly to the transfer rolls I26 and I21. Inasmuch as the amplitude or stroke of the slide plate 43 is a constant, provision has been made for adjusting the position of the knife mounts 45 relative to the slide plate 43. As stated, the inclined surfaces 45a of the knife mounts 45 present a suitable surface for engaging a card with the feeder knives 45. The latter are adjusted to project above the upper edge of the surfaces 45a a distance slightly less than the thickness of a card.

As stated, the transfer rolls I26 and I21 feed the cards positively into the nip of the indexing roll I55 and squeeze roll I56, thus serving to straighten any card which may have become disaligned during the feeding movement and ensuring uniform registration of the cards. The segments I21a of the lower transfer roll I21 are spaced so as not to contact glued portions of the cards, and these segments are adjustably secured to the lower transfer roll shaft I38 so as to accommodate any desired glue pattern. Also, the transfer roll I21 (which is the driving roll) is driven at a suflicient peripheral speed to transfer the longest card from the feeder knives 46 to the indexing and squeeze rolls I55 and I56 before the following card is fed to the transfer rolls.

As stated, the adjustable throw crank I66 accurately and nicely controls the indexing movement of the indexing rolls I55, and thus accurately governs the degree of overlapping. Also, the ratchet clutch I69 permits only forward and intermittent rotary movement of the indexing roll I55. The whole indexing assembly, including indexing roll I55 and squeeze ro'll I56, being carried in bearing plates I58 and clamped to the framework by means of clamping plates I58a, can be adjusted longitudinally of the machine in accordance with varying requirements. Also, the adjustable mounting at I62 of the squeeze roll I56 permits adjustment of the angle of tilt of the cards, thus ensuring proper clearance of cards of any size or shape. Springs I63 compressing the squeeze roll I56 against the indexing roll I55 allow a variable spacing of these rolls to accommodate cards of different thickness and also to accommodate different degrees of overlapping. The indexing roll I55 and the squeeze roll I56 perform the dual functions of indexing and of applying pressure to the glued joints to bond them together.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A machine for. assembling a plurality of cards in overlapping relationship comprising a 9 glue applicator pivotally supported for pivoting to and from a gluing station for selectively applying glue to certain of said cards, a feed member operable to feed each card individually and consecutively forwardly from the gluing station, and means for pivoting said applicator away from said gluing station in timed relationship with respect to said feed member so as to allow each nth card to be fed forward without application of glue, n being an integer not less than 2.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein said feed member is a reciprocable member, said machine including a main drive shaft, means driven by said main drive shaft and operable to reciprocate said reciprocable feed member and means including a gear train operatively connecting said'main drive shaft and said pivoting means, said gear train including at least one change gear adapted to be removed and replaced by another and different change gear to vary the value of n.

3. In a machine for assembling a plurality of cards in overlapping relationship including a card receptacle, a feed member located below said receptacle and adapted to feed forward cards or the like in sequence and a rotary glue applicator member located below said receptacle and adapted to contact said cards during the feeding thereof, the improvement which comprises a pivotal support for said rotary member, means for rotating said rotary member, and means for pivoting said rotary member out of engagement with said cards, said means being synchronized with the feeding of said cards so as to pivot said rotary member out of engagement with each nth card, n being an integer not less than 2.

4. A glue application machine, comprising a card stack receptacle, a rotary glue applicator member arranged below said receptacle, a pivotal support for said member, a reciprocable feed member arranged below said receptacle and adapted by reciprocation to engage and feed forward each of a supply of cards as delivered thereto, a main drive shaft, means operatively connecting said main drive shaft with said reciprocable member to reciprocate the same, and pivoting means driven by said main drive shaft and operable to pivot said rotary member out of engagement with said cards, said pivoting means including at least one change gear which is changeable to vary the timing of such pivotal movement relative to reciprocation of said reciprocable member.

5. A glue applicator machine, comprising a reciprocable feed member adapted to receive cards or the like and to feed each card forwardly individually by reciprocation through a gluing station, a rotary glue applicator located at said station adapted to apply glue or the like to each card, a pivotal support for said glue applicator, a main drive shaft, a gear driven by said main drive shaft, link and lever means operatively connecting said gear and said reciprocable member to reciprocate the same, means operatively connecting said drive shaft and said pivotal support to pivot the same so as to disengage said rotary applicator from said cards, said means comprising a train of gears driven by said drive shaft, a rotary cam driven by said gears and a 1'9 otal movement of said rotary applicator in relation to reciprocation of said reciprocable feed member.

6. An overlap machine comprising an indexing roll and a second roll forming :a bight therewith each supported for rotary movement about its longitudinal axis, means for successively feeding cards into the bight of the roll along a path of travel in a substantially horizontal plane, said rolls being disposed with their longitudinal axes in parallelism, said rolls being disposed so that the tangent to the roll at the point of contact of the roll is inclined downwardly with respectto the direction of card travel, a rotary drive member, and means operatively connecting said rotary drive member'and said indexing roll for rotating the same, said means including a rod, a crank and a ratchet clutch, said ratchet clutch being operable to impart intermittent rotary motion to said indexing roll.

7. A card overlapping and gluing machine comprising, a main drive shaft, a rotary glue applicator supported for pivotal movement to and from a gluing station, means normally holding said applicator in a first pivotal position at said gluing station, a reciprocable feed member operable to engage and feed forward each glued card as supplied thereto, an indexing mechanism including an indexing roll supported for rotary movement, said indexing mechanism being operable to receive each card as fed thereto and to compress successive, glued cards together in overlapping relation, a first transmission means operatively connecting said drive shaft and said reciprocable feed member operable to reciprocate the latter, a second transmission means including at least one change gear operatively connecting said drive shaft and said glue applicator operable to pivot the latter to .a second pivotal position removed from said gluing station, said first means and second means having a predetermined ratio such as to pivot said glue applicator to said second pivotal station at every nth forward stroke of said reciprocable member, a being an integer not less than 2, said change gear being removable for substitution of another and different change gear tochange the value of n, and a third transmission means operatively connecting said drive shaft'and said indexing roll operable to rotate said roll in angular increments, said third means being adjustable to vary the angular increment.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein said third transmission means includes a rotary member, a variable throw crank secured thereto, a rod connected at one end to said crank and a ratchet clutch secured to the other end of said rod and to the shaft of said indexing roll.

9. A card overlapping and gluing machine comprising main drive shaft, a rotary glue applicator supported for pivotal movement to and from a gluing station, means normally holding said applicator in a first pivotal position at said gluing station, a reciprocable feed member operable to engage and feed forward each glued card as supplied thereto, a pair of rolls including a squeeze roll and an indexing roll supported in parallelism for rotary movement, a first transmission means including a rotary member and a lever operatively connecting said drive shaft and said reciprocable feed member operable to reciprocate the latter, a second transmission means including a gear train comprising pivotally supported gears and at least one change gear operatively connecting said drive shaft and said glue applicator operable to pivot the latter to a second pivotal position removed from said gluing station, said first means and second means having a predetermined ratio such as to pivot said glue applicator to said second pivotal position at every nth forward stroke of said reciprocable member, 11 being an integer not less than 2, said change gear being removable for substitution of another and different change gear to change the value of n and said pivotally supported gears being pivotable to other positions to maintain proper meshing of the gear train after such substitution, and a third transmission means operatively connecting said drive shaft and said indexing roll, said third means including a rotary member, a variable throw crank secured thereto, a rod connected at one end to said crank and a ratchet clutch secured to the other end of said rod and to the shaft of said indexing roll.

10. A device of the class described, comprising an indexing roll and a second roll forming a bight therewith, the rolls being supported for rotary movement about parallel axes, means separate from the rolls having a linear feed movement in a direction along a plane disposed at a slight angle to the plane which is normal to the plane containing the axes of the rolls and operable to successively feed a series of cards into the bight of the rolls along a path contained in the firstmentioned plane, and means for intermittently advancing the indexing roll in timed relation to feeding of the card by successive increments, each being less than the direction-of-travel dimension of a card to thereby overlap the cards and tilt the cards at an angle to said path of travel of the cards to enable a successive card to be inserted into the bight,

11. The device as set out in claim 10 in which said second roll is yieldably urged toward the indexing roll.

12. The device as set out in claim 11 in which there ar means for selectively applying glue to certain of said cards prior to the insertion of a card into the rolls.

13. A device of the class described, comprising an indexing roll and a second roll forming a bight therewith, the rolls being supported for rotary movement about parallel axes, means separate from the rolls having a linear feed movement in a direction along a plane disposed at a slight angle to the plane which is normal to the plane containing the axes of the rolls and operable to successively feed a series of cards into the bight of the rolls along a path contained in the firstmentioned plane, and means for intermittently advancing the indexing roll in timed relation to feeding of the card by successive increments, each being less than the direction-of-travel dimension of a card to thereby overlap the cards and tilt the cards at an angle to said path of travel of the cards to enable a successive card to be inserted into th bight, and means for selectively applying glue to certain of said cards prior to the insertion of the cards into the rolls.

14. A device of the class described comprising an indexing roll and a second roll forming a bight therewith, the rolls being supported for rotary movement about parallel axes, a reciprocable feed member for successively feeding a series of cards in planar condition toward the bight of the rolls along a path disposed at an angle to the plane containing the axes of the rolls, means for reciprocating the reciprocable feed member, and means for intermittently advancing the indexing roll in timed relation to the feeding means by successive increments, each being less than the direction-of-travel dimension of a card to thereby overlap the cards and tilt the cards at an angle to said path of travel of the cards to enable a successive card to be inserted into the bight.

15. A device of the class described comprising an indexing roll and a second roll forming a bight therewith, the rolls being supported for rotary movement about parallel axes, a reciprocable feed member for successively feeding a series of cards in planar condition toward the bight of the rolls along a 'path disposed at an angle to the plane containing the axes of the rolls, means for reciprocating the reciprocable feed member, means for intermittently advancing the indexing roll in timed relation to the feeding means by successive increments, each being less than the direction-of-travel dimension of a card to thereby overlap the cards and tilt the cards at an angle to said path of travel of the cards to enable a successive card to be inserted into the bight, and means for selectively applying glue to certain of said cards prior to the insertion of a card into the rolls.

16. A device of the class described comprising an indexing roll and a second roll forming a bight therewith, the rolls being supported for rotary movement about parallel axes, means having a linear feed movement in a direction along a plane rectilinearly disposed at a slight angle to the plane which is normal to the plane containing the axes of the rolls and operable to successively feed a series of cards in planar condition into the bight of the rolls along a rectilinear path contained in the first-mentioned plane, and means for intermittently advancing the indexing roll in timed relation to feeding of the card by successive increments, each being less than the direction-of-travel dimension of a card to thereby overlap the cards and tilt the cards at an angle to said path of travel of the cards to enable a successive card to be inserted into the bight.

17. A device of the class described comprising an indexing roll and a second roll forming a bight therewith, the rolls being supported for rotary movement about parallel axes, a reciprocable feed member for successively feeding a series of cards in planar condition toward the bight of the rolls along a path disposed at an angle to the plane containing the axes of the rolls, means for reciprocating the reciprocable feed member, a pair of transfer rolls disposed between the reciprocable feed member and the indexing and second rolls operable to receive cards from the reciprocable feed member and insert the cards into the nip of said indexing and second rolls, means for intermittently advancing the indexing roll in timed relation to feeding of the cards by successive increments, each being less than the direction-of-travel dimension of a card to thereby overlap the cards and tilt the cards at an angle to said path of travel of the card to enable a successive card to be inserted into the bight, and means for actuating said transfer rolls in timed relation to movement of the feed member and indexing and second rolls.

18. The device as set out in claim 17 in which said second roll is yieldably urged toward said indexing roll and in which there are means for selectively applying glue to certain of said cards prior to the insertion of a card into the rolls.

19. In an apparatus of the character set forth, means for holding a vertical stack of cards with the lowermost card of the stack having a lower surface exposed, a rotary and bodily movable gluing roller located beneath and in line with the stack holder, reciprocating means for successively moving each lowermost card in forward movement in its own plane from the stack, means for selectively applying the gluing roller to selected cards during their forward movement, an indexing roll and a second roll forming a bight therewith, the rolls being supported for rotary movement about parallel axes, means for feeding cards from the reciprocatin means to the rolls along a path disposed at an angle to the plane containing the axes of the rolls, and means for intermittently advancing the index roll in timed relation to feeding of the cards by successive increments, each being less than the direction-oftravel dimension of a card to thereby overlap the cards and tilt the cards at an angle tosaid path of travel of the cards to enable a successive card to be inserted into the bight,

20. A device of the class described, comprising an indexing roll and a second roll forming a bight therewith, the rolls being supported for rotary movement about parallel axes, means for successively feeding a series of cards into the bight of the rolls along a path disposed at an angle to the plane containing the axes of the rolls, and means for intermittently advancing the indexing roll in timed relation to feeding of the card by successive increments, each being less than the direction-of-travel dimension of a card to thereby overlap the cards and tilt the cards at an angle to said path of travel of the cards to enable a successive card to be inserted into the bight, a glue applicator pivotally supported for pivoting to and from a, gluing station for selectively applying glue to certain of said cards, means for pivoting said applicator away from the gluing station in timed relationship with respect to the feeding means so as to allow certain cards to be fed forwardly without the application of glue, said means for pivoting said applicator including a gear train including at least one change gear adapted to be removed and replaced by another and different change gear to change the manner of skipping of the cards.

21. A device of the class described comprising an indexing roll and a second roll forming a, bight therewith, the rolls being supported for rotary movement about parallel axes, means for successively feeding a series of cards into the bight of the rolls along a horizontal path, said rolls being disposed so that the tangent to the rolls at the point of contact of the rolls is inclined downwardly with respect to the direction of card travel, and means for intermittently advancing the indexing roll in timed relation to feeding of the card by successive increments, each being less than the direction-of-travel dimension of a card to thereby overlap the cards and tilt the cards at an angle to said path of travel of the cards to enable a successive card to be inserted into the bight.

BROOKS E. NELSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 869,329 Prouty Oct. 29, 1907 1,030,183 Inman June 18, 1912 1,884,468 Winkler et a1. Oct. 25, 1932 2,133,503 Ferenci Oct. 18, 1938 2,153,180 Fuller et a1 Apr. 4, 1939 2,205,433 Paulsen June 25, 1940 2,222,983 Marchev et al Nov. 26, 1940 2,260,582 Roethe Oct. 28, 1941 2,389,929 Paulsen Nov. 27, 1945 2,484,111 Mills Oct. 11, 1949 

